.｡.:✧ Chapter 53 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Was it because no one had died?

Aside from the festival booths and the academy garden that had turned into a mess, there wasn’t much damage, actually.

However, we had to light a fairly large fire to dispose of the insect corpses, and it ended up looking like a campfire late at night.

“Ugh, does it smell like something’s burning?”

“It’s because we burned the bugs, isn’t it?”

Tana and Eve were squatting nearby, cooking pancakes and eating them, and I also took bites.

“I totally hate moochers!”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to eat?”

“Did I?”

Staring blankly at the campfire flames, I found myself sighing without realizing it. My mind was so scattered that I couldn’t properly remember what I had said earlier.

I was uncharacteristically out of sorts, Tana and Eve whispered to each other, wondering what was wrong, but unfortunately, I could hear everything.

Eris, who had gone to meet the dean, had disappeared.

I wasn’t sure if she was still talking to the dean, but half a day had passed, and I couldn’t help but feel impatient to talk.

‘She wouldn’t just leave like that, would she?’

Even if she didn’t remember her past life, I thought she might at least say something as a comrade who had fought alongside Apviel.

As if to quell my worries, a blonde elf approached from the distance, her figure illuminated by the campfire’s glow.

Her overwhelming beauty, along with her extraordinary aura, stirred the surrounding students, but Eris didn’t spare anyone else a glance as she walked straight toward me.

“Huh? You’re not blonde, but black-haired?”

“Ah, I was wearing a wig earlier.”

Responding while slightly touching my head, Eris chuckled with a snort.

“That suits you better.”

I couldn’t help feeling a bit embarrassed.

Thankfully, the campfire made it hard to see my blushing face.

“Today, you really went through a lot, Daniel. It seemed like a very strong demon, and you were amazing to handle it alone.”

Hearing Eris call me by my name instead of Sherpa felt awkward yet joyful, and a slight smile formed on my face.

“Yeah, thanks. You too had a tough day today.”

Until just before meeting Eris, I thought about various things to talk about, but upon seeing her, my mind went blank.

Had she always been this beautiful?

It might have been because it had been a long time since I last saw her, but she seemed enchantingly beautiful.

Tana and Eve, munching on pancakes, began making odd remarks like, “Wow, this is epic,” and “In reality, I’m a loser, but at the festival, I’m the center of an elf’s attention?”

“I’m sorry about the misunderstanding earlier. I came to meet someone chosen by the god Helios, and strangely, I felt that vibe from you.”

“Well, misunderstandings happen.”

“…But, do you usually speak informally like that?”

Eris asked with a pouty face.

I had naturally slipped into informal speech due to old habits, but I had no intention of taking it back.

I wanted to show that I remembered her in some way.

Shrugging without a specific reply, Eris sighed and nodded.

“Alright, I’ll allow the informality today as a recognition of your bravery and conviction.”

“Thanks.”

“More importantly, I mentioned looking for someone chosen by Helios. Could you help me? They might feel as hot as the sun or as warm as sunlight.”

“…”

Someone came to mind, but I didn’t want to introduce them at all.

As I was about to deny knowing anyone, Tana tilted her head and answered.

“Ares?”

“Yeah, I thought of Ares too.”

“He’s the sun? Sunlight?”

As I mockingly asked, they both nonchalantly replied.

“Well, isn’t it a similar vibe?”

“I hate the sun. It hurts to look at it.”

Eris suddenly turned her head at Eve’s words, the ultimate homebody and reader, and asked.

“Ares? Who is that?”

“Just passing by, that guy.”

Ares and his group were walking past us in front.

Though calling them a group might be a stretch since Sen was injured and resting in the infirmary with Rin, Hayun was naturally absent, and Adriana was nowhere to be seen.
In the end, only Arni and Elise remained by his side. Ares scratched the back of his head at the sound calling for him and looked over. The peculiar emblem embedded in Ares’s right hand caught my eye immediately. As far as I knew, Ares did not have such an emblem before, and Eris nodded vigorously upon seeing it.

“Yes, that’s exactly the emblem of Helios’s choosing…”

Upon confirming Ares’s face, Eris’s expression grew increasingly peculiar.

“Do you know about this emblem?”

Ares, realizing the conversation was about the emblem on his hand, attempted to ask something, but Eris stepped back with her mouth covered.

“Could you, perhaps, not come any closer?”

With a look of disgust, Eris asked Ares politely yet sharply.

“Excuse me?”

“I really dislike being in the same space as someone repulsive.”

“What did you say?”

“It seems correct based on the emblem on your hand, but… sigh, were you truly chosen by Helios? The one who shook off the hand of a pleading woman and ran away alone?”

Ares’s face turned red instantly. Arni and Elise looked at him with disbelief, but he quickly defended himself.

“I had no choice at that time! I couldn’t win against that beast…”

“Who said anything about winning?”

Eris scoffed.

“With the power of Helios, you could have easily escaped with that girl, couldn’t you?”

“But, but!”

“If Daniel had been even a moment late, that girl wouldn’t be alive today.”

The fact that the girl was Adriana was unknown to the other students, which was fortunate. Otherwise, Ares’s reputation would have suffered greatly.

But Eris did not miss a beat.

“The girl’s name was Adriana, right? Even if she had died, you can’t say you killed her. But you abandoned a life you could have saved.”

[T/N: Lmaooooo]

“You’re speaking without knowing anything!”

“I saw everything, my eyes are quite sharp.”

Eris casually pointed to her blue eyes, which briefly shimmered with an emblem before it disappeared again.

Ares, realizing her emblem was of a different deity but similar to his, received a cold laugh from Eris.

“I’ve been watching everything through these eyes on my way here. Honestly, I don’t know what plans Helios has for you, but you’re currently unworthy of that power.”

“…”

“Please, use the power befitting your vessel.”

“No, I intend to actively use this power.”

Ares clenched his fist and glared at Eris determinedly.

“If I had been stronger, I wouldn’t have abandoned her to face the beast. True belief comes from strength. Belief without ability is merely recklessness.”

“Really…”

Eris’s eyes turned ice cold as she rebuked Ares.

“What a repulsive notion. Belief built on strength is ultimately the prerogative of the mighty. Such belief is self-centered and arrogant. Clearly, you’re not fit to wield that power.”

Eris gently placed her hand on my shoulder.

“You stand in direct opposition to Daniel. He possesses power but holds the belief of the humble. You, on the other hand, lack power but covet the belief of the mighty.”

“Are you saying I’m inferior to him?”

Ares’s voice dropped as if touching on a sore spot.

Arni and Elise also stepped aside in surprise.

However, without hesitation, Eris nodded.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Light emanated from the emblem embedded in Ares’s hand, and he threw a punch with incredible speed and destructive force. But I barely had time to react.

Crash.

Eris, known as the ‘Guardian of Yggdrasil’ among the strongest elves for centuries, easily overpowered Ares.

She stepped on his wrist as he lay on the ground, looking down at him.

“Kid, get a grip. I came here to teach you how to wield Helios’s power, but also to eliminate you if the divine power falls into evil hands.”

Ares’s face twisted with every word Eris spoke, laden with murderous intent.

“I’ll let it slide this time because you’re young, but mind how you conduct yourself.”

Eris gestured for him to leave quickly with her foot.

Ultimately, Ares left with his pride swallowed, followed by Arni and Elise with awkward expressions.

‘Going there would only scratch his pride more.’

Eris had insulted him, but having so many people witness his humiliation was likely the greatest blow to Ares’s dignity.

‘Well, I found it quite satisfying.’

My wife is the best!

“Cough.”

Though I thought this, I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed and coughed, turning to see Eris looking back at me.

“I really don’t understand why Helios chose such a man. Ah, this is a problem that needs pondering.”

“Would you really go through with his execution if Ares truly doesn’t qualify?”

“Of course, even if he’s the first man chosen by Helios in centuries, if he’s unworthy, he must be eliminated. It would be dreadful if he became a villain using that power.”

I wondered if it was right to insult him like that, but Eris showed no regret, instead shifting the conversation.

“A campfire, how beautiful. We’d be in big trouble if we did something like this.”

“Right, because of the forest.”

“It would have been more scenic if not for the burning insects.”

“Well, this isn’t so bad either.”

“True.”

We whispered to each other, watching the flames dance together.

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